Spring-end connection



,Jue 8,1926.

R. R. sEARLEs SPRING END CONNECTION Filed June 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vENToR ATTORN EY5 June 8 1926.

R. R. SEARLES SPRING END CONNECTION.

Filed Jupe 27, "1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR /.m/zfe ATTORNEYS Patented June 8,1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE.

RAYMOND R. SEARLES, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ,TI-IE FAFNIIt BEARING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON-A v NEorIoUT.

' kSPRING- END ooNNEo'rroN.y

Application filed .Tune 27, 1925. Serial No. 39,955.

My invention relates to an anti-friction spring shackle for connecting a vehicle frame to a vehicle spring. v

It is the principal object of theinvention to provide an anti-friction spring shackle which will be relatively simple and cheap to manufacture and which may be readily and struck up strengthening means and integral struck Aup Vbearing seats for anti-friction bearing members thereon and which may be connected to each other at the ends and beyond the bearing seats.

It is still another object to provide an anti'- friction spring shackle in which the two shackle plates are integrally secured to each otherV at one end and detachably secured to each other at the opposite end. Other ob-` jects will appear as the specification proceeds.

Briefly stated, in the preferred form of the invention I Vemploy sheet metal shackle links having seats for anti-friction bearing members struck up thereon. The links are preferably connected to each other at the ends, that is, beyond the seats for the antifriction bearing members. If desired, strengthening means such as ribs or flanges may be formed on the links at appropriate places for strengthening the same, so as to withstand strains when in use.

In the drawings which show for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention- Fig. l is an end view in partial section of a spring shackle embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view in partial section of that form of the invention shown in Fig. 1;

Fig 3 is a sectional view of the form shown in Fig. 1 and illustrating the method of assembling; l

Fig. et is a top plan view illustrating a slightly modified form of shackle;

' Fig. 5 is an end view in partial section of the' form shown in Fig. 4; Y

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating still another `modified form;

Fig. 7 is an end view in partial section of the form shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view il: lustrating a variation. v

Figs. 1 to 3, 3-44 indicate shackle links preferably formed of sheet metal and integrally connected together at one end by means of the end connection or bridge portion 5. Itis preferable to form both links 3-4 from a single blank of sheet metal which may be formed as hereinafter described, and

afterwards bent into the proper shape.

Each link has bearing seats forV anti-friction bearing members thereon, intermediate the ends thereof and in the' form shown, these bearing seats are'cups 6-7 Which receive anti-friction bearing members balls 8.

v The free ends of the links 3-4 are detachably connected together and in the form shown the ends are bent inwardly toward In that form of the invention shownlin such( as.

each other as indicated at 9-9, and arms 10-10 project outwardly from the bends 9-9 and a through bolt or the like 11 serves to secure the free ends together. If desired strengthening members such as webs or flanges 12-12 may be formed on the shackle links intermediate the bearing seats thereon. Flanges 13-13 may also be formed on the projecting ends .10 as clearly shown in the drawing. kFlanges' 1,3%-13 on the link ends l may abut each other to space the links apart to avoid straining the bearings.

14 Vindicates a shackle pin rigidly secured in the frame l5 of a motor vehicle the ends of the pin extending laterally beyond the sides of the frame and Vhaving bearing seats such as 16 thereon, complementary to the bearing seats in the cups 6 6 and resting upon the anti-friction bearing members 8 therein.

A similar pin 17 may be secured in the eye 18 of the spring of a motor vehicle, and the ends of the pin 17 project beyond the sides of the spring and have bearing seats 19 for anti-friction bearing members in the complementary bearingv seats 7 7.

In this disclosure, the bearing cups 6-7 are substantially filled with bearing balls as plainly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. When the cups are substantially filled with balls, it is obvious that the balls themselves form are spread substantially as shown in Fig. 3,

so that the two links may pass over the re. speoti've pins 14 and V17 held in the frame and spring. When the partsare substan-` tially as shown in Fig.V 3, the links 8 are bent together and secured in that position as Sby means ofthe bolt ll shown in Fig. l.

The'bridging member 7 is bendable and pervand disassembly of mits the ready assembly the shackle.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the links'V 21-21 are provided at opposite ends with inturned portions 21%-21 and angular portions 22-22 through which throughbolts 23 pass for holding the links together. The other features of the inven-V tion are substantially the same as previously described in connection with Figs. 1-3. The invention shown in Figs. t and 5, however, does not necessarily depend upon the flexibility or bendability of the bridging por'- tionf 21-`2`1 and the links may be as-` sembled by removing bolts 234-23l and placing the links in position individually and independently of each other.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the links 2'5--26 are substantially similar tro-'those shown in Figs. 4t and 5 except that the links are connected' together at one end by different means. In this form I employ a hinge Vconnection which may be' conveniently form-ed by makingk a slot or aperture 27 in one of the bridging members 28 and forming al suitable hook `29fon the other bridging member 30. This hinged connection serves to hold the two links together at one end while a` through bolt 81 serves to hold the opposite ends of the links together. ThisV form` of the invention is' preferably assembledV substantially the same as that shown in Figs. l to 3' but in the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the bridging member need' not necessarily be flexed for the hinged connectionl permits an opening up of the shackle links tojpermit of ready assembly.

In all` of the forms described the antifriction bearing members are shown beardir'ectlyupon the' innerk surfaces of the cup members forming seats in the links. It is obvious that the constructions' may be varied' as 'shown in Fig. 8 by placing a suitable race ring such as a cup 35 in the bear-` ing cup such as 6. An independent bearing cup while increasing the cost of the construction slightly tends t0 reduce wear on the shackle links and strengthens the same to some extent. f

It will be seen that by means of the coni structions herein disclosed a shackle may be formed of sheet metal stamped to form. The construction will be cheap to manufacture and will be easy to assemble. The antifriction bearing members serve to reduce friction to such extent that lubrication will seldom if ever become necessaryf--The shackle links are heldL together/by one or, in some forms, two -boltspwhici are located beyond the bearing surfaces-and the shackles may thus be made considerably shorter than when the connection between the links lies between the pins on the spring and frame. l/Vhile the invention has beenv describedinsome detail, I do not Wish to be limi-tedV to Ybearing members thereon', lmeans for connesting said shackle links atthe end' and longitudinallyV beyond the bearing seats thereon, and a second means for connecting' said shackle links together.

In an anti-friction springshackle, sheet metalvside links connected Ytogether at the ends said Yside links having stiuckup bea-rfing seats for anti-friction bearing members at points intermediate thel points of ,con-nec-l tion of said linksy to each other.

3. In an antifriction spring shackle,

shackle links connected together at the ends,

said shackle links having bearing seats 'for anti-friction bearing members intermediate the points of connection of said links to each other. y

a. In an anti-friction spring-shackle, sheet metal `shackle links, each link having 'a pai-r of struck up bea-ring seats for anti-friction bearing members intermediate the" ends' thereof, struck up strengthening means on said side links intermediate the bea-ring seats thereon, and mea-ns for connecting said shackle links at thel ends beyond the bearing seats thereon,

' 5. In an anti-friction' spring shack-le', sheet ine-tal shackle links connected to eachother at the ends, bearing seats for anti-friction bearing members formed on said links intermediate .the ends thereof and stre'ingtl'ien-V ing, flanges on said links intermediate theV bearing seats thereon.

6. In an anti-friction 'spring shackle, sheet metal shackle links connected to each other at one end, seats for anti-friction bearing members on each of said shackle links and interii'iediate the ends'thereof, anda through bolt for connecting the other ends of said links together.

7. An anti-friction spring shackle inelu ing sheet metal sidevlinks connected tofeachother at the ends thereof, seats for a1'1t1-f1'ucf3- tion bearing members on said shacklelinksf intermediate the ends thereof, the means-of connection between said shackle links aty oneffvend thereof comprising a through boltffe tending through said shackle hnksnxf' ."1

8.V In an anti-friction spring shackle, sheet pair of struck upl eu other, a shackle y Ic l iframe and extendin I between the cup members onopposite shac de links, a second shackle pin /to be connected to a lVehicle Spifingi and located between said other cupA me;nbers' on opposite shackle links, and anti# I an lanti-friction spring shackle,

jsackle pins and said cup members. ia'ek, links, connecting means Jfor said bers; intermediate the connecting means, anLtneans for'spacmg the links apart to ayoiq'vstraining the bearings.

RAYMOND R. SEARLES. i

fritiii bearingfmembersinterposed between linksgsaid links and connecting, meansr forming a closed body, said links having ybearizrjig seats for antl-rlction bearing mein-A 

